Dust-guard.



` No. 874,428. PATENTEDDEC. 24, 1907. I

J. PBARSON.

DUSTl GUARD. APPLIoATIoN FILED 0cT.1a,19o5.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PEARSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DUST- GUARD Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907'.

Application led October 13x 1905. Serial No. 282,543.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I,- JOHN PEARsoN, a citizen of the United States, residingvat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust-Guards of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improved dust guard for car axle boxes, and it has for its ob- .j ect to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character` which will effectually exclude dust and other foreign substances from the journal box and also prevent the oil and waste from passing from the box.

The invention consists of the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter par* ticularly described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the center of the journal box and showing my dust guard adapted thereto; Fig. 2 is a face view of the dust guard removed from the journal box; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 through the dust guard; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on .Y the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 10 and 11 indicate a 'pair of sections each of which is pro'vided with a semi-cylindrical recess or opening which when the two sections are placed edge to edge with the recesses towards each other provides a circular opening l2 for the axle. These sections may be made of any suitable material, such as wood or metal, although metal is preferably employed, owing to its greater durability. In order to more effectually exclude dust at the meeting edges of the sections the latter are provided with overlapping extensions, as indicated at 13 in Fig. 1. These overlapping extensions also provide for the taking up of wear due to the-rotation of the axle against the wall of the opening 12, it being understood that in practice the sections are held closely in contact with the axle to prevent dust and other foreign substances entering the journal box between the guard sections and the axle.

Each section at its side edges is provided with a groove 14 which is alined with the groove at the adjacent side edge of the other section, and the upper section 10 is provided at its upper edge with a groove which is in continuation of the edge grooves 14. The

groove at the upper edge of the upper section 10 is depressed, as at 15, to form a recess having shoulders 16 at its ends and a curved or concave bottom. The sections 10 and 11 are held in proper relation to each other by means of a yoke or band 17 having vertical arms which extends along the sides of the sections and a horizontal portion extending across the top of the upper section, the lower ends of the vertical arms being bent inwardly as at 18 to provide seats on which the ends or corners of the lower section rest. These ends are designed to be bent to provide the seats after the sections and otherparts are assembled with the yoke. The yoke 17 is provided with a flange 19 extending inwardly therefrom, such yoke being in cross section substantially T-shaped, as shown in Fig. 4. The flange 19 along the sides and top enter the groove 14 and prevent displacement of the sections. The flange at the center of the horizontal portionof the yoke is extended inwardly to provide a boss 20 which enters the recess 15 in the top'edge of the section 10, and is preferably rounded as shown.

A suitable spring, such as a leaf spring 21, is located in the recess 15 and bears at its ends against the bottom of the recess. This spring is engaged by the boss 20 whereby when the two sections are assembled they are under spring pressure so as to automatically adjust themselves to the car axle. As the boss 20 is centrally located and the ends of the spring engage the upper section nearthe side edges thereof the pressure is distributed uniformly to force the two sections towards each other and into intimate contact with the axle, and rocking or tilting of the sections is avoided. The shoulders 16 prevent endwise movement of the spring and serve to maintain such spring in its proper position.

In order to prevent dust or other foreign substances from passing between the yoke and the sections 10 and 11 suitable packing, such as a strip 22, which may be made of leather, canvas, or other suitable material, is employed and located between the adjacent faces of the yoke and sections, as shown in Fig. 4, the body portion of the strip being substantially U-shape in cross section tol iit between the tongue of the yoke and wall of the groove, and its edges extended outwardly beyond the faces of the sections, as "shown in Fig. 4. This strip is cut out at 23 at the point where the boss 2() is located in order to permit the boss to pass therethrough to engage the spring 21, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. By reason of the location of the packing strip between the yoke and the sections 10 and 11, dust is prevented from passing into the journal box between such parts, and by locating the spring 21 in the recess formed at the upper end of the section 10 and providing the packing between the upper section and the yoke suoli spring is concealed or inclosed so that access of dust or dirt thereto is avoided.

ln use the dust guard is located in the usual pocket 24 of the journal box 25 and extends at its lower edge below the bottom of the openings provided in the walls 27 of the pocket for the axle 26, and is of such width that the vertical arms of the yoke engage the end walls of the pocket. As the bottom of this pocket is filled with oil in which. the lower end of the dust guard is submerged it is impossible for dust or dirt to enter the box under the lower edge of the dust guard. The extended edges of the packing strip engage the inner faces ofthe walls of the pocket so as to prevent dust from passing into the journal box around the top and sides of Ithe dust guard.

Owing to the fact that the edges of the packing strip, which is of a yielding substance, engage and flatten out against the inner faces of the pocket walls and that the lower end of the dust guard is submerged in the oil in the pocket it will be apparent that notwithstanding the tendency of fine dust and dirt to sift through the most minute crevices, such dust and dirt will be effectually prevented from entering the journal box. y

The construction employed obviates the employment of coil springs which are object-ionable, and moreover, the spring is housed in such manner as to avoid access of dirt or dust thereto. The device is exceedingly simple in construction and arrangement and there are no complicated parts to get out of order. The packing is of such character and so arranged that the relative movement of the sections under the action of the spring is not interfered with.

Having described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-4 1. 1n a dust guard, the combination with a pair of sections, each of which is provided with a recess which with the recess of the other section provides the axle opening, of a yoke for the sections, and a packing strip interposed between the sections and yoke and having its edges extended beyond the faces of the sections.

2. ln a dust guard, the combination with a pair of sections provided with an axle opening, of a yoke, the said sections and yoke being provided with complementary tongue and groove, and one of the sections having a recess formed in the edge thereof, a boss on the yoke entering the recess, and a leaf spring reacting between t-he boss and bottom of the recess.

3. ln a dust guard, the combination with upper and lower sections having a continuous groove at the side edges thereof and at upper edge of the upper section, a yoke extending along the side edges of both sections and across the top of the upper section and havthe upper and lower sections having overlapping extensions at their meeting edges, the sections being grooved at their side edges and tl e upper section having a recess in continuation of the groove, a yoke having vertical arms extending along the side edges of the sections and a horizontal portion extending along the upper edge of the upper section, a tongue on the yoke entering the groove, suoli tongue centrally of the hori- Zontal lportions of the yoke being enlarged to provide a boss, a leaf spring reacting at its ends against the bottom of the recess and at its center against the boss, and a packing strip in the groove between the tongue and sections.

5. The combination with a journal box having a pocket, of a dust guard located in the pocket and comprising a pair of sections, a yoke for the sections, and a packing strip interposed between the yoke and sections and having its edges extended beyond the faces of the sections and engaging the walls of the pocket.

6. The combination with a journal box having a rear pocket,` of a dust guard located in the pocket and comprising a pair of sections, a yoke for holding the sections together, the sections and yoke being provided with a complementary tongue and groove connection, and a packing strip having a U-shaped body portion interposed between the tongue and groove and having its edges extended beyond the faces vof the sections and engaging the walls of the pocket, and a spring between the upper section and the yoke to adjust the sections.

In testimony whereof 1 affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN PEARSON.

Vitnesses:

ELIZABETH MoLiToR, ARTHUR B. SEiBoLD. 

